Nanzhuang Old Street

The development history of Nanzhuang was similar to Neiwan in Hsinchu and Jiufen in New Taipei City: once being prosperous for rise of lumber or mining industries, but also declined due to industries’ downturn.

The development of Nanzhuang could be dated back to late Qing Dynasty. Shiesankung (洗衫坑, denotes a ditch for laundry) in Laojietou (老街頭) was originally built to convey water for irrigation and laundry. Even nowadays, local residents often wash their clothes or vegetables here. In the Japanese Colonial Era, the place boomed for mining camphor and coal. Its prosperity kept growing and reached the height at latter stage of the period. Similar to Neiwan Theatre in Neiwan, Nanzhuang Theatre had evidenced the golden age of Nanzhuang. By now, the theatre is transformed into a nostalgic-themed restaurant. The old post office in Japanese style has once been rebuilt because of an earthquake.

The Guihuaniang Bingzhen Tangyuan(桂花釀冰鎮湯圓, iced sweet dumpling with osmanthusmalt) in Osmanthus Alley (桂花巷) is the last thing you could miss in Nanzhuang. You can also find all kinds of Hakka foodsuch as mochi and Hakka rice flour lath (客家粄條) here. The street is full of crowds in holidays, which just like narrow alleys in Jiufen Old Street in some ways.